What Really Happens When You Get Angry

Find out what really happens to your body on a physical level when your patience runs out.

When we get mad, our rational prefrontal lobes shut down and the reﬂexive back areas of the brain take over. The left hemisphere also becomes more stimulated as the brain’s hormonal and cardiovascular responses kick in.

A tense body pumps out cholesterol and a group of chemicals called catecholamines, which encourage fatty deposits to pile up in the heart and carotid arteries. It’s no surprise, then, that angry people are three times more likely to have a heart attack than those less prone to fury.

The ﬁght-or-ﬂight response can prompt your nervous system to cut blood ﬂow to your stomach and divert it to your muscles, impacting intestinal-tract contractions and digestive secretions. Stress can also increase stomach acids.

Anger sure ain’t pretty. It causes a surge in the stress hormone cortisol, which bumps up oil production and leads to acne and other skin problems. During prolonged and frequent eruptions of rage, parts of the nervous system become highly activated, making it difficult to return to a relaxed state and, over time, affecting the immune system.